Man (50s) died after sustaining 16 knife injuries, one of which was 17cm deep, trial hears

Alison O'Riordan

A 50-year-old man who was more than eight times over the legal drink driving limit died after sustaining 16 separate knife injuries, one of which was 17cm in depth, a pathologist has told the Central Criminal Court.

Ryan Kearney (39), with an address at Loughnamona Drive, Leixlip, Co Kildare, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Jeffrey Jackson (50) at The Lamps, School Street, Kilcock, Co Kildare on February 8th, 2024.

Mr Jackson's partner, Breda Kearney, has given evidence that when she returned home after a brief trip to the shop, she was met by her bloodied nephew, Ryan Kearney, who told her he had stabbed her partner in the neck and thought he was dead.

In his garda interviews, Mr Kearney said that he took a knife off his aunt's enraged partner after a scuffle and gave him "a few jabs with it", telling detectives that he had no intention to kill and was in fear for his life.

"It was either going to be me sitting here today or him sitting here today," the accused told officers.

State pathologist Dr Sallyanne Collis today told Brendan Grehan SC, prosecuting, that she conducted a post-mortem on Mr Jackson's remains at Naas General Hospital in Co Kildare on February 9th, 2024.

The expert witness said there were at least 16 separate sharp force injuries to the deceased. One of those sharp force injuries was a stab wound on the left temple area within the hairline, as well as a stab wound to the right cheek.

Other sharp force injuries included one to the lower right side of the chest, which terminated in the liver and a sharp force injury to the back of the right shoulder. There was an irregular force injury cut between the left thumb and index finger.

The witness testified that there were two stab wounds to the back of the right upper thigh. Another stab wound was to the left calf, with a track depth of 7cm.

Dr Collis said two stab wounds to the upper right side of the chest had entered the chest cavity, one went into the aorta, and the other had punctured the right lung.

There were no stab wounds or knife injuries to the neck area.

Having examined the liver, the witness said the deceased had drank excessively and had fatty liver disease.

Asked what she could tell the jury about the level of alcohol, Dr Collis said it was more than eight times the legal drink driving limit. She said a toxicology report showed a very high level of alcohol and that Mr Jackson was acutely intoxicated with alcohol at the time of death.

Dr Collis said death was not instantaneous and had allowed time for movement. She said the alcohol consumption would have impaired Mr Jackson's thought processes and movements. "It might be difficult to stand up, and he could be falling over as well," she added.

In her evidence, Dr Collis said the longest stab wound track measured 17cm in depth.

The witness said Mr Jackson's cause of death was stab wounds to the chest with no contributory factors.

She said the two stab wounds to the upper chest cavity were fatal; one which punctured the right lung and the other which went into the aorta.

Under cross-examination, Dr Collis agreed with Michael Bowman SC, defending, that if someone is advancing it can result in a deeper penetrative wound. She also agreed that the deceased would still have been capable of independent movement for a period of time in the context of a struggle.

In re-examination, the witness agreed with Mr Grehan that in terms of the two injuries to the chest - the lung and the heart - one of those was to a depth of 17cm and the other 16cm.

Dr Collis confirmed that the blade of the knife found on the draining board in the kitchen of the apartment was 11.9cm in length.

Mr Grehan put it to the witness that both fatal wounds were much longer than the blade. Dr Collis said the track was into the body and agreed that the entire length of the blade had to have gone in.

In his opening speech, Mr Grehan told the jury that evidence of the 16 separate knife injuries suffered by Mr Jackson during what the prosecution says was a "ferocious attack" in the apartment did not fit with Mr Kearney's account of having stabbed the deceased in self-defence.

The trial continues on Monday before Mr Justice Paul Burns and a jury of three men and nine women.